Doctors call for urgent action to tackle GP shortages 

It is estimated that by 2025 the shortage of GPs could be as high as 1,380.

Doctors are calling for urgent action to tackle Ireland’s severe shortage of general practitioners, which is causing significant challenges when it comes to delivering timely and high-quality patient care.

The Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) and the Association of University Departments of General Practice in Ireland (AUDGPI) say more funding and the development of undergraduate GP placements are needed to help address the escalating staffing crisis.

They also want a more formal and structured collaboration between the ICGP Specialist Training Programme and the Medical Schools' Departments of General Practice.

This morning sees the group launch a major new report examining the issue and urging changes to medical student training as well as the academic pathway by which GPs qualify.

“We are currently experiencing a considerable crisis in the recruitment and retention of GPs, and predictions of the extent of this problem are bleak,” the report notes.

Vacancies

Sláintecare reforms are reorientating the health service towards primary care, which demands an increased and expanded workforce.

“In 2015 it was estimated, that by 2025 the shortage of GPs could be as high as 1,380.” The real negative effect of an insufficient GP workforce is experienced directly by patients, it added.

In February 2022, there were 26 GP panels left vacant around the country, of these 13 GP posts were left unfilled for more than a year. “These unfilled posts served a General Medical Card Services population of over 17,000 people.”

While there are several examples of good collaborations between GP training schemes and University Departments of general practice, the report notes "for the most part, these occur in an informal manner, and are often dependent on the enthusiasm and motivation of single individuals, severely limiting their impact, scalability, and sustainability." 

Recommendations

Among its key recommendations to address workforce issues, the report proposes the development of a national funding model to support undergraduate general practice placements for medical students in all medical schools.

“Medical students’ experience of high quality, authentic GP clinical placements is critically important to the GP workforce pipeline. It is the single most important way to positively influence medical students towards a future career in GP.”

The ICGP is also calling for the establishment of ‘GP Hubs’ affiliated with each medical school's Department of general practice. 

Dr Maureen Kelly, lead author and associate professor at the School of Medicine, University of Galway, said: “We need to develop and implement a national funding model that supports the hosting and delivery of undergraduate general practice placements for medical students in all medical schools. The report is a forward-thinking and ambitious approach to GP education."